Transfer Credit

Consideration will be given to graduate credit earned at institutions that are accredited or candidates for accreditation by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) or by a regional accrediting commission recognized by the Department of Education. The Registrar will evaluate all prior credit. Credit that meets Golden Gate Seminary’s transfer credit policy will be granted and appropriately parallel coursework will be applied to the GGBTS degree sought. The student will be notified, and a written record of transfer credit will be maintained in the student’s file.

Veterans Affairs

In the case of veterans, the Veterans Administration will be notified upon credit transfer approval.

Request for Transfer Consideration

Upon receiving approval for general admission to Golden Gate Seminary, students may request a transfer credit evaluation by submitting the following items to the Registrar’s Office:

Transfer evaluation request form

Official transcript to be evaluated

Catalog/official catalog descriptions of all courses to be evaluated

An evaluation will be completed only when the above items have been received by the Registrar's Office.

Students currently enrolled in a degree program who wish to take a course elsewhere and transfer it into Golden Gate must first complete the transfer evaluation request form and attach the course description. Courses taken without preapproval are not guaranteed to transfer into the student's degree program. Preapproved transfers will not be placed on the transcript until an official transcript with a grade of C or above is submitted to the Registrar's Office.

Guidelines

Only courses with a grade of “C” or above will be considered. Courses graded as "Pass/Fail" are generally not transferable.

Courses must have been substantially parallel to the Golden Gate Seminary courses as determined by the department chairperson of the subject area based on catalog review of the sending school.

Transfer credit from institutions outside the United States will be evaluated on an individual basis after the student has completed at least 12 semester hours at Golden Gate Seminary. A Credentials Evaluation Service report may be required of each student desiring such credit and may serve as a guide for transfer credit evaluation. Transfer of credit from institutions outside the United States that are not affiliated with an ATS accredited seminary must be approved by the faculty.

Students transferring credits to complete graduation requirements must submit official transcripts with final grade to the Registrar’s Office at least 60 days prior to commencement.

Students pursuing a second degree at the same level (two master’s degrees) can transfer no more than half of the credits required for the first degree into the GGBTS degree.

Transfer credit is not granted for P1111 Foundations for Ministry, P1116 Integration into Ministry, P1121/22 Leadership Practicum I & II, and P1123 Theological Field Education.

Transfer credit is granted only for transcripted academic work. No credit is given based on work or life experience.

ATS Standards stipulate that coursework completed more than 10 years prior to the completion of a degree will not fulfill graduation requirements. Any student wishing to appeal this policy must do so through the Student Relations Committee as soon as possible following admission and no later than the date by which his/her graduation application is due.

Maximum Number of Transferred Credits Allowed

All work done at the graduate level (that did not result in the granting of a degree) at an ATS or regionally accredited school is eligible for transfer to any Golden Gate Seminary degree program. However, at least 27 hours must be completed at Golden Gate Seminary.

When a student has completed a graduate degree at an ATS or regionally accredited school, not more than half of the completed degree may be used to satisfy the requirements of a GGBTS degree; and not more than half of the requirements for the GGBTS degree may be satisfied by hours already applied to the completion of a previous master's degree.

Transfer Requests from Non-Accredited Institutions

Golden Gate will consider a limited amount of masters level equivalent academic credit earned through non-accredited educational programs for transfer and application toward a GGBTS master's degree (excluding the THM). Prospective students must apply for such consideration and provide any documentation requested by the Registrar or the Seminary Admissions Committee. Institutions may apply to establish a standing agreement with the Seminary. In either case, the following stipulations apply.

1. A maximum of 15 non-accredited hours may be applied to a GGBTS M.Div. degree.
2. A maximum of 10 non-accredited hours may be applied toward any GGBTS 2-year master's degree.
3. No credit awarded for life experience or work experience alone will be applied to any GGBTS degree. However, theological field education, as a supervised ministry activity blending work experience with a well-defined educational component may be eligible for transfer as elective hours.

a. maintains records of students admitted, work done, grades earned and hours of credit granted – i.e., maintains the equivalent of a registrar’s office.
b. follows the standard of 45 clock hrs of educational activities (normally 15 hrs of instruction and 30 hours of educational activities outside the classroom) for each 1 credit hour granted.
c. employs instructors who are appropriately credentialed to provide theological education, holding at least a master’s degree in an area appropriate to their teaching assignment.

Academic work done through non-accredited institutions will be evaluated on a case by case basis. This policy does not assure the acceptance of such hours. Queries should be directed to the GGBTS Registrar's Office. The Seminary currently has established policies for the acceptance of hours earned through the following entities.

Guideline for Transferring Courses to Other Institutions

As a WASC and ATS accredited institution, upon submission of a transcript request by the student, the GGBTS office of the Registrar will provide an official transcript of work completed at GGBTS to any institution designated by the student. A fee is required. The reception and the evaluation of such transfer hours remains the consideration of the receiving institution.